2015 Survey of Measures for Regional Economic and Industrial Vitalization
“Survey of strengthening strategic industriesʼ competitiveness in the Tokai region by linking Monodzukuri and IT/services
(Future insight into 2040 Monodzukuri)”
Digest versionMarch 2016
Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry
Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.
This report is commissioned by Chubu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry to MitsubishiResearch Institute, Inc.
1
Backgrounds, objectives/premises of this discussionBackgrounds of discussion
The Tokai region is internationally competitive in Manufacturing Industries (Monodzukuri) centered on the automobile-related industries.
The environment surrounding Monodzukuri, however, has been greatly changing from the late 20th century toward the 21st century, with the expectation of increasingly significant and uncertain changes.
The Tokai region, which currently maintains a strong economy, may also face enormous changes in its underlying market environment, industrial structures, and competitive environment. To proactively respond to the changes, having a long-term perspective is necessary.
Objectives/premises of discussion
Japanese companies basically took passive approaches to the change in the external environment during the “lost 20 years,” but taking proactive measures is essential for restoring, maintaining, and strengthening the competitiveness into the future.
In this discussion, we discuss strategic directions Japanese companies can take ahead of 2040, the remote future, while accurately perceiving the uncertainty as much as possible. We focus on the directions of small and medium-sized enterprises, the source of competitiveness in Monodzukuri in the Tokai region, in particular.
The world continuously needs large amounts of “products.” This discussion is intended to explore what changes are needed to be made in the current Monodzukuri for Japanese companies to be competitive in the global market and to realize a bright future while having a strong presence in Monodzukuri.
*"Monodzukuri Industry" is defined as all companies involved in supply chains that make "products= tangibles.” This does not necessarily indicate manufacturing, or intend to maintain domestic production.
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Overall picture of external environment (items that change)
Classification No. Items Overviews
Tech
nolo
gies
1 Autonomous The development of AI, sensing, and communication technologies etc. will enable vehicles to automatically run, leading to the evolvement of autonomous products.
2 Electric The spread of electric vehicles will develop computerized/electric technologies. Many machine components will become unnecessary, with more electronic components installed.
3 Modularized Electric equipment will promote modularization similar to electronic equipment. Auto makers will also aim to reduce costs by sharing components and promote modularized design.
4 DigitalizedEfforts of IoT and Industry 4.0 will enable digitalization and analysis of all the information of supply chains and engineering chains while accelerating the speed of network and calculation to the levels not achieved in case of bottlenecks. IoT will spread extensively even to service industries.
5 Technical innovation and spread of AI The innovative evolution of AI Technology and the development of inexpensive applications will make such products readily available to anyone. AI can solve all logical problems.
6 Innovation of processing technologies Processing technologies will evolve dramatically, such as Additive Manufacturing (3D printer), ultra-precision laser processing, high-strength tools, and highly functional/multifunctional robots.
7 Sophistication of material technologies Biomimetic materials and nanomaterials will rapidly advance. In addition, enhanced analysis technologies including three-dimensional structural analysis will enable product design not achieved until today.
Res
ourc
e co
nstra
ints 8 Obvious risk of resource depletionFossil fuels (especially crude oil), base metals (such as copper, lead, and zinc), and water resources are apparently expected to deplete on a long-term basis, and the risks of sharp price fluctuations and rapid narrowing of supply will become obvious. Meanwhile, the influence of those who retain resources will be enhanced than today.
9 Stricter restrictions on global environmental issues
Worsening global warming will increase the risk of extreme weather events etc. Political restrictions on global warming countermeasures will become significantly stricter. Deteriorating environments in emerging countries will tend to recover due to international adjustments. The above will increase needs for BCP measures more than ever.
10 Impending labor resources: shortage of personnel
With falling birthrate in overall advanced countries (including China), working population will decrease and current business models in various industries will not work out. Response to the diversification of workers by using women, the elderly, and immigrants will also be necessary.
Politics/international affairs
11 Flattened competitive environment The EU will have settled its trading bloc, and the competitive environment will increasingly become flattened worldwide. Labor costs and Monodzukuri infrastructure in BRICs, ASEAN, and Eastern Europe will reach the same levels as in advanced countries.
12 Increasing geopolitical risks The risks of terrorism and civil wars, etc. will remain as high as today. The political situations in Great China, Russia, and India, however, will become stabilized.
Cus
tom
erne
eds 13 Dramatic increase in middle-income
individualsWith economic growth in emerging countries, middle-income individuals will increase. Consequently, needs for general-purpose products will increase explosively.
14 Changes in consumer behavior mainly of high-income individuals Amid expanding consumption opportunities and choices, suggestions for product selection will become more important.
15 Networked products to meet consumer demands
It will be required that all products are network-connected and products are designed using them. Complete traceability will also be required.
16 Ultimate digitalized/customized marketing All possessions/belongings, the status of use, and purchase history will be digitalized and shared if required by consumers.
Others 17 Possibility of changes in business rules Changes in ownership, changes in financial systems, open intellectual property, and changes in systems/social structures will be seen.
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Strategic challenge that Monodzukuri companies face 17 possible major changes in external environment which may impact the future of Monodzukuri are identified. These
changes can either negatively or positively impact Japanese Monodzukuri companies (Tokai region) . Organizing the possible changes in external environment from the point of view of Monodzukuri companies, there are 7
strategic challenges that companies need to prepare for year 2040.
※◎︓Major impact , ○︓Impact
Change in external environment
Tech
nolo
gies
1 Autonomous2 Electric3 Modularized4 Digitalized5 Technical innovation and spread of AI6 Innovation of processing technologies7 Sophistication of material technologies
Reso
urce
Co
nstr
aint
s 8 Obvious risk of resource deletion9 Stricter restrictions on global environmental issues
10 Impending labor resources: shortage of personnel
Politics/Intnʼlaffairs
11 Flattened competitive environment
12 Increasing geopolitical risks
Cust
omer
need
s 13 Dramatic increase in middle-income individuals
14 Changes in consumer behavior mainly of high-income individuals
15 Networked products to meet consumer demands
16 Ultimate digitalized/customized marketingOthers 17 Possibility of changes in business rules
Strategicchallenges
Field in which response will be necessary Related change in external
environmentSupply chain
Engineering chain
Others(Mgmt/Admin
etc.)
①Responses to the sophisticated consumptionresulting from digitalized and software-controlled society
○ ◎ ○ 1, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16
②Responses to the end of conventional reconciling and KAIZEN ◎ ○ - 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7,
11
③ Efforts to innovate production technologies ◎ - - 6, 7, 8, 9
④Responses to digitilized/software-controlledmanufacturing sites
◎ ◎ ◎ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 14, 15, 16
⑤Responses to a shortage of skilled personnel and human resources ◎ - ○ 4, 10, 11
⑥
Responses to various challenges toward incorporating growing markets (resource constraints, CO2 free)
○ ◎ ○ 7, 8, 9, 13
⑦ Responses to risk management ○ - ○ 9, 12, 13
※ Change in external environment #17 may impact the entire strategic challenge.
Major impact especially on small businesses
Mainly production
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Strategic challenges (1): Responses to the sophisticated consumption resulting from digitalized and software-controlled society
Contents of strategic challenges
Established brand products sell well without sophisticated customization, while low-priced commodities need to be highly customized for differentiation.
With increasing needs for services such as updating products as necessary based on the status of use or charging users for their use after purchase, measures to meet such needs will be required.
Thoroughly understand users’ characteristics and how the products are used, to elaborate products and services tailored to individual characteristics.
It is commonplace that purchased products change based on the status of use (respond mainly by updating software). Grasp locations and the status of use of own products in real time to establish a system to deliver products to customers in
need when necessary and to commonly use production equipment. On-demand designing/production through modularization.
Design products toward the realization of services and a business model of a pay-as-you-go policy (including tagging and networking).
Service design to meet latent needs through utilization of big data.
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
End product manufacturers (products/business model) Whole supply chain (Large, medium, small- sized
companies)
Who needs to respond Consumer needs(become more self-centered as
technologies evolve) End product(Customized commodity products,
connected/software-controlled products)
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Strategic challenges (2): Responses to the end of conventional reconciling and KAIZEN
Contents of
strategic challenges
Digitalized production data enable logical QCD improvement, lowering human-based activities, the advantage of Japan on the whole.
It also dramatically decreases production fields of reconciling between products. Technology levels of emerging Monodzukuri countries become equal to those of advanced countries in most fields.
Expand business globally by realizing prominent performance as a total product ranging from design and usability to after-sales services. Sophisticate the reconciling of software (AI) and hardware to implement them in products and services. Produce an extremely wide variety of products at overwhelmingly low costs by making the best use of digital and robot technologies. Intensively develop Monodzukuri personnel in Japan and globally dispatch them.
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
Japanese companies whose strong-points are reconciliation of different things.
Member of group company whose competitiveness is in responding to instructions from clients.
Who needs to respond Automation of manufacturing process,
product designing, supply chain due to digitalization
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Strategic challenges (3): Efforts to innovate production technologies
Contents of
strategic challenges
With products increasingly controlled by software, overall materials of components/members become more important. (While digitalized production reduces costs to the limit, the value of lightweight materials etc. increases.)
The collaboration between material technologies and digital technologies increases the impact of materials on final product specifications. Improvements in production processes by combining with conventional processing/assembling processes are required to incorporate the
innovation of 3D printing technologies well.
Material makers and finished product makers (including overseas makers) promote open innovation to develop need-oriented materials. Realize automatic/real-time material customization by buyer to elaborately fit even materials to user demands. Put new innovative materials on the market in a stream by thoroughly using simulations such as materials integration. A highly functional/highly integrated, ultra-added value module is 3D printer. Combine current processing and assembling technologies
for other general-purpose modules.
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
End product manufacturers Material manufacturers Manufacturing machine manufacturers
Who needs to respond Manufacturing technology(Maturation of new
technologies such as 3D printers) Material technology(Maturation of lightweight
materials/materials with new features)
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Strategic challenges (4): Responses to digitalized/software-controlled manufacturing sites
Contents of strategic
challenges
Large companies-led digitalized production advances, enabling information sharing, analyses, and feedback globally beyond individual companies, with the result that small and medium-sized enterprises are also required to take measures to stay in business.
Products are increasingly controlled by software to meet individual customer needs and changes in needs in use (after purchase) and reduce the costs. Reducing the number of machine components is required.
Provide services and solutions based on prominent products to other industrial groups (globally). IT investments equal to those made by large companies and global purchase of software technologies are essential to stay in business. Strengthen cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises (depart from the convoy system in which large companies play
the central role). Advance from partial optimization of individual manufacturing process to optimization of supply chain as a whole
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
Tier2,3 manufacturers Parts, material manufacturers
Who needs to respond
Manufacturing process/group structure of large companies(digitalized)
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Strategic challenges (5): Responses to a shortage of skilled personnel and human resources
Contents of strategic
challenges
With falling birthrates in overall advanced countries (including China), productive population decreases, which makes it difficult to secure workers who engage in Monodzukuri and intensifies competition for human resources among companies.
Responses to the diversification of workers by using women, the elderly, and immigrants will also be necessary. The replacement by AI eliminates personnel who thoroughly understand the principles/idea of design and production and who can
undertake Monodzukuri, which may stop the evolution of Monodzukuri technologies.
Respond to a shortage of productive population through labor-saving by introducing AI and robots and utilizing the manpower such as women, the elderly, and foreigners.
Meanwhile, it is important to use Japan’s Monodzukuri sprits (craftsmanship), the source of added value, which has created overly quality, highly reliable products, in a wide variety of fields such as services. Also, it is necessary to continuously and deliberately nurture personnel with craftsmanship.
Restoring “Monodzukuri technologies to be passed on," such as traditional crafts in AI, is a possible solution.
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
Companies of labor-intensive industry
Who needs to respond Working-age population(decreasing trend in Japan) Attributes of workers(age, nationality, gender will
diversify)
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Strategic challenges (6): Responses to various challenges toward incorporating growing markets (resource constraints, CO2 free)
Contents of strategic
challenges
Not only rare metals but also base metals are likely to be depleted, which increases the prices of energy resources. In the meantime, Monodzukuri companies need to respond to a surge in demands for general-purpose products due to growing economies of Asia and Africa.
By enhancing design technologies and overcoming resource constraints to reduce necessary amounts of mineral resources, realize Monodzukuri that meets enormous demands for general-purpose products .
By diversifying resource suppliers, establish "robust & flexible" supply chains that can flexibly respond and maintain productivity, even in emergency.
Minimize emissions of CO2 through life cycles and realize a medium to long-term recycling society through thoroughly reusing water resources.
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
Consumer goods manufacturers Parts, material manufacturers Automobile manufacturers
Who needs to respond Materials used for Monodzukuri(cost may rise in the
long run) Needs of general-purpose products in developing
countries (dramatical increase)
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Strategic challenges (7): Responses to various challenges toward incorporating growing markets (risk management)
Contents of
strategic challenges
Scarce water resources impose restrictions on locations of manufacturing bases on industries using large amounts of industrial water, and worsening global warming increases the risk of natural disasters on coasts in particular. In the Middle East and Africa, there are concerns about direct damages of terrorist attacks on bases.
Dramatically improved product traceability requires product liability by component. Accordingly, small and medium-sized enterprises also have higher risk of accepting liability for users.
Develop comprehensive BCPs and disperse production bases and types (including OEM) in Japan and overseas to establish flexible supply chains for prompt restoration in emergency. In this way, prepare for the risk of natural disasters and regional conflicts.
Understand the traceability throughout the whole life cycle of products, including conditions of processing/assembling, logistics and use of products.
Monodzukuri approaches
corresponding to strategic challenges
Japanese companies with oversea sites
Japanese companies considering to advance into overseas markets
Who needs to respond Manufacturing sites(Increased risk of production
disruptions) Global supply chain(Increased procurement risk)
What will change
Impact of changes in external environment on Monodzukuri
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Visions of Monodzukuri and directions of enhanced competitiveness in 2040: A) Greatest changes and responses
The biggest difference between Monodzukuri in 2040 and today is to be “connected.” As a result, the “status of products,” “sources of corporate competitiveness,” and “Monodzukuri industrial structure” will greatly change. To respond to the changes, Monodzukuri companies need to invest in “people,” “technologies,” and “strategies” more than before.
All products are networked. Companies can always be connected
with users if consent can be obtained. Accordingly, companies must always
meet the needs of sophisticated and diversified users.
Companies connected with users through products
《Vision of Monodzukuri in 2040》
Modularization of manufacturing process will progress, and the process of ordering, designing and manufacturing will be automated be automated to occur in near-real-time.
Chains are expect to be divided into some groups, but a variety of information of many Monodzukuri companies mutually connect in real time.
Companies that fail to connect with data required by business partners cannot get onto the stage of business.
Real time connection of supply chains and engineering chains
Products are designed to provide best value to users throughout their life cycles.
Software realizes most functions.
Status of products
《Major changes in Monodzukuri》
Only globally dominant products, processing technologies, and production capabilities become the sources of competitiveness.(Response capability and relationships, etc. become less important.)
Sources of corporate competitiveness
Current business groups will be integrated more extensively, with some groups likely to be released.
The structure changes from pyramid to hourglass.
Monodzukuri industrial structure
Investments are concentrated to software (incl. IT and AI) engineers.
Companies acquire personnel globally.
Investment in people
《Monodzukuri companies’ investment destinations》
In cooperation with material makers and machine makers, companies acquire exclusive technologies after open R&D.
Investment in technologies
Large companies foresee changes and autonomously prompt their industries to develop leading strategies.
SMEs are also required to develop medium to long-term strategies.
Investment in strategies
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Visions of Monodzukuri and directions of enhanced competitiveness in 2040: Monodzukuri image in 2040
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Visions of Monodzukuri and directions of enhanced competitiveness in 2040: B) Vision of connected chains
Monodzukuri of year 2040 will be in the world where supply chain and the engineer chain are connected in real time. AI and robots will be utilized for efficiency technology, and will be available at relatively low cost. As a result, the source of competitiveness of Monodzukuri companies will be design development capacity and its corresponding
manufacturing technologies based on the utilization of relevant data.
Connectedness between supply chain and engineering chain
Modularization of product designing and manufacturing process will progress to the ultimate level, and the process from receiving orders from clients, product designing (customized design) and start of production will be automated in real time.
Design and production will be connected in real time/continue to change, even for products other than customized products.
Vision of future supply chain
Who Procurement/purchases will be optimized by AI Entire manufacturing process will be automated and the operator will be the only person
working on the manufacturing site.
When Production will be started as soon as order is received. parallel operation can be started simultaneously in company sites across the world.
Where AI will automatically select which sites need to be operated to supply the products
What Prominent product that can meet consumers demand 200% Thing, whose functions are mostly defined by software
How
Inexpensive general purpose AI software will be used to control process covering from order〜procurement/purchasing
Logistics will be run be several global third-party companies By adjusting software and hardware, and by utilizing state-of-the-art technology, each company
will provide exclusive competitive manufacturing process in a global level
Vision of future engineering chain
By sharing/standardizing base designs, many companies/individuals will be able to participate in the project
Process designing will be automated through AI, and human being will conduct major KAIZEN. Real-time/trial-and-error function development will be conducted in a platform connected with
users.
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Visions of Monodzukuri and directions of enhanced competitiveness in 2040: C) Monodzukuri companies’ reform strategies
Implementing mass customization at the same cost as mass production is a precondition for competition.
Advance fully digitalized supply chains and engineering chains and make an optimal use of production equipment regardless of companies.
Global business expansion is a precondition. Advanced digital technologies enable a wide variety of profit models.
The manufacturing industry also should design optimal business models in consideration of value chains. (Service development is a means.)
Foundation
(Prerequisite to participate in competition:
will not be the source of differentiation)
Differentiation(Source of competitiveness)
Profits
《Approaches》《Requirements》
Secure and utilize quality data of users and uses and reflect them in performance, design, and usability in real time.
Thoroughly sophisticate original technologies including processing and materials and design products/services using the technologies.
Take advantage of Japanese to optimally combine technologies and software/AI.
Business model to make the maximum
profits
Prominent products that outperform other
companies’ performance, design,
and usability
Global production system to achieve
mass customization at low prices
Digital and AI technologies and robotics are fundamental technologies of Monodzukuri, meaning that securing personnel is indispensable.
Education of Japanese domestic personnel and hiring of personnel from the global market should be promoted simultaneously.
Securing personnel who can understand
and use digital and AI technologies and
robotics
To be globally competitive in the Monodzukuri industry in 2040, companies must have three elements: capability as the foundation, a source of differentiation, and a way to make profits.
The source of differentiation is prominent products (and the capability to continuously create such products). Prominent products that meet users’ needs are created through exclusive technologies and materials, based on acquisition/utilization/understanding of data on users and how the products are being used.
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Visions of Monodzukuri and directions of enhanced competitiveness in 2040: D) Reform strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises that manufacture components must respond to major changes of large companies, their main customers, in addition to changes of markets toward 2040.
Change in competition environment will clearly divide eliminated companies and growing companies. To engage in production as Monodzukuri companies, they are required to honestly develop products, the source of competiveness, and
sell products globally.
All companies’ products/capabilities are digitalized and shared globally.
Only ideal enterprises are selected from around the world.
Globalization of information
Mass customization becomes commonplace, so large OEMs realize all sorts of processing and assembling at high levels.
Companies with exclusive technology/know-how will be the only ones to be chosen.
Customized Monodzukuri
All production of large companies and equipment of companies are digitalized, and most products are also software-controlled.
Likewise, small and medium-sized enterprises need to network enterprise data/production data.
Digitalized large companies/products
《Changes in external environment》
1 out of 10 companies
《Forms of enterprises in 2040 of existing small and medium-sized
enterprises》
Case 2
Develop niche markets where original technologies could be
utilized, and realize highly profitable systems globally.
Case 4Change or discontinue businesses.
(Including merger with Case 1 companies)
Case 3Survive as customized
accessory makers.
《Requirements to become a Case 1 company》
Case 1
Expand businesses globally with prominent
technologies/products, with a 10 to 100-fold increase.
Leading companies will be selected from around the world and grow, so they should conduct their businesses globally without hesitation.
The only way to stay in business/grow, as Monodzukuri companies , will be to continue to provide and sophisticate prominent products/services that will be selected from around the world.
To realize high profit, companies must conduct businesses with companies that are leading the industries and making high profits (integrated companies).
Companies will not be able to compete without investing in IT or software personnel at the same level (vs. sales) as large companies.
9 out of 10 companies
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Visions of Monodzukuri and directions of enhanced competitiveness in 2040: E) Changes in Monodzukuriindustrial structure
Planning/conceptionDesign/development
Assembly manufacturing
The Tier structure of the Monodzukuri industry in 2040 changes from pyramid with a small number of manufacturers at the pinnacle to hourglass composed of a large number of product designers, a small number of general-purpose product makers, and a large number of customized product makers.*The existing group structure is expected to be dissolved starting with general-purpose module groups.
A small number of large manufacturers widely assume operations from planning/conception, design/development through to assembly manufacturing.
A large number of subcontracting companies underpin component manufacturing.
The width represents the number of players.
Component manufacturing (Tier 1)
Component/material manufacturing (from Tier 2)
Planning/conception (Design)*1
Component manufacturing*2
Assembly manufacturing
Design/development
Manufacturing customized products tailored to individual customers*3
(by makers that manufacture accessories)
《Pyramid structure (present)》 《Hourglass structure (2040)》Changes
*1: Based on open basic design technologies, a large number of product designers take charge of planning/conception and detailed design.
*2: Most of component manufacturing converges on a small number of huge subcontracting manufacturers. (The industry expands with a decline in the number of companies.)
*3: Meanwhile, customized accessories, etc. a produced by large number of makers that grasp the needs of diversified customers.
Change (1)Open basic design
Emergence of a large number of product designers
Change (2)Digitalized/generalized manufacturing/processing technologiesIntegrated component manufacturers
Consumers
Change (3)Standardized accessory interfaces
Emergence of customized product makers